Measuring cups are known in the art. One utility amongst many derived from a measuring cup is related to the ease with which volumetric indicia on the measuring cup may be read by a user. A variety of suitable units of measurement are currently used to indicate the volume of the substance within a measuring cup. Traditional measuring cups have indicia marked upon the measuring cup sidewall in such a manner that makes the indicia difficult to read, depending at least in part upon the degree of preciseness needed, the materials from which the measuring cup is manufactured, and the physical ability of the user, for example. In the case of a measuring cup that is made from transparent or translucent material, the most precise way to measure the substance contained therein is to place the measuring cup upon a level surface, pour a substance to be measured into the measuring cup, and then stoop down to the level of the measuring cup to attempt to visually detect the bottom of a liquid meniscus or to a level surface of solid substance. An alternative method to read the volumetric indicium corresponding to the volume of a substance in a transparent or translucent measuring cup is to lift the measuring cup to eye level and attempt to hold the measuring cup steady while visually detecting the appropriate volumetric indicium. In either case, the user of the measuring cup is looking in a generally horizontal direction to detect the volume.
Furthermore, prior art measuring cups that are opaque can be even more difficult to read than transparent or translucent measuring cups. To read the volume of a substance held within an opaque measuring cup, a user typically peers over an upper margin of the measuring cup to eyeball, as best possible, a level to which the substance risen, either by stooping to the measuring cup's level or by lifting the measuring cup to eye level.
While the methods described above for determining the volume of a substance in a measuring cup may seem simple enough for some users, these methods can prove to be difficult for others. Users with physical ailments, for example, may not only have substantial difficulty in stooping over to accurately read the volume of a substance in a measuring cup placed on a level surface, but may also be challenged to lift a measuring cup to eye level and hold the cup steady to read the volume of the substance held therein. Particularly when precise measurement of the volume of a substance within a measuring cup is critical to a task, the simple actions of bending over or lifting a measuring cup to eye level, which comes easy to some users, may become difficult and uncomfortable for others. And even for able-bodied users, having to adjust one's eye level to that of the measuring cup is, at the very least, inconvenient.
Measuring the volume of cooking ingredients using prior art measuring cups can also be frustrating. As mentioned above, it can be difficult for a user to stoop over to read the level of a substance when placed on a level surface or when lifted to eye level. An unsteady hand not only makes the volume of the substance difficult to determine when a measuring cup is lifted to eye level, but a user may spill the substance or even drop the measuring cup when attempting to do so.
Measuring cups are not limited in their utility to the kitchen, of course. They may also be used for measuring proper ratios of non-edible substances, such as gasoline, oil, and antifreeze, for example, the precise measurement of which may be critical. Other common household solutions such as toxic or caustic substances, for example, can be dangerous. When a measuring cup is filled with these solutions, the possibility of spilling them on the user or within the proximity of a child or a pet greatly increases when a measuring cup must be raised to eye level to determine the volume of the substance.